Primary electric battery.



No. 670,583. Patantedlar. 26, mm;

J. P. FONTAINE.

PRIMARY ELECTRIC BATTERY.

(Application filed Taxi. 9, 1900.) (No Modal.) 2 Sheets-Shoot l.

Patented Mar. 26, 190i.

J. P. F'GNTAINE. FI-IIMABY ELECTRIGBATTERY.

(Ajaplicntimr filed Jan: 9,1900.

2 Sheets-Shoot 2.

(No Model.)

JEAN PIERRE FONTAINE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PRIMARY ELECTRIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters lfatent No. 670, dated March 1901-Application filed annary 9, 1900. berial No. 8&8. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN PIERRE FONTAINE, doctor of medicine, a citizenof the Republic of France, residing at Paris, in the Republic of France,(whose post-office address is 36, Rue Ballu, Paris, aforesaid,) haveinvented a certain new and useful Improved Primary Electric Battery,(for which application for a patent has been made in France, dated the3d day of October, 1899; in Germany, dated the 18th day of December,l899,and in England, No. 25,011, dated the 16th day of December, 1899,)of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the application to electric batteries,by means of different porous vessels, of improved combinations ofsubstances which react one upon the other under such conditions thattheir electric actions jointly or combined result in producing what maybe called a double excitation and yield a voltage superior to thosehitherto obtained.

It is well known that the Becquerel battery is constituted of twosolutions, the one acid (nitric acid) and the other alkaline, (potash,)reacting one on the other through a porous vessel. The electricityproduced by this reaction is taken to the external circuit by two stripsof platinum, one immersed in the acid and the other in the alkalinesolution. After numerous experiments it has been found preferable toreplace the strip of platinum im-. mersed in the potash by zinc, theoxidation ofthe zinc coming to the aid of the reaction of the nitricacid on the potash. On the other hand, the strip of platinum immersed inthe nitric acid is replaced by carbon.

In consequence of modifications which by this invention have beenintroduced in the Becquerel battery I have been able to obtain a tensionof 2.55 volts by utilizing nitric acid of 36 Baum; Hitherto not morethan 2.20. volts have been obtained. Instead of nitric acid at 36 Baum amixture of nitric and sulfuric acids, diluted with water in theproportion of four volumes of nitric acid at 36, one volume of sulfuricacid, and five volumes of water, may be employed. With this mixture thevoltage obtained is only 2.35 volts. Nevertheless the result must stillbe consid ered as very good. It has also been found "correct. ture ofnitric and sulfuric acids is diluted with water may also be increasedwhile still inplan, on the line X X of Fig. 1.

"tery in modified form.

that the double excitation was not peculiar to the combination of zinc,potash, and nitric acid, but that it could also be realized byreplacing, under the same conditions as hereinbefore, the soda solutionby a solution of chlorid of sodium of thirty per cent. This secondcombination with the object of producing the double excitation yieldstwo volts with nitric acid at 30 Baum and 1.80 volts with the mixture ofnitric and sulfuric acids diluted in Water.

In the first combination of zinc, soda, and nitric acid or a mixture ofnitric and sulfuricacids diluted in water oxidation of the zinc finishesby forming zincate of soda, the hydrogen arising from this reactionbeing absorbed by a fraction of the oxygen of the nitric acid. On theother hand, the unreduced nitric acid and the sulfuric acid react on thesoda to form nitrate and sulfate ofsoda. In the second combination ofzinc, chlorid of sodium, and a mixture of nitrate and sulfuric acidsdiluted in water there is also a formation of nitrate and sulfate ofsoda With a release of chlorin, which attacks the zinc and forms chloridof zinc. Another fraction of the chlorin combines with the hydrogenarising from the decomposition of the water and produces hydrochloricacid and the remainder escapes mixed with the nitrous vapors arisingfrom the reduction of a certain quantity of nitric acid by the hydrogenunabsorbed by the chlorin. Without being'able to affirm the exactness ofthese reactions it is believed that the explanation of them is Theproportions in which the mixpreserving a very good return.

{The arrangements which are now adopted in' this invention for makinguse under the best possible conditions of the effects hereinbeforerecited will now be described.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section through thecenter of my improved battery. Fig. 2 is a section, partly Fig. 3 is avertical section through the axis of a bat- Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection on the line y y of thepreceding figure. This double-excitationbattery comprises:

First, an external vessel 1 of glass or other suitable substance.

Second, a piece of zinc immersed in the external liquid which may be asolution of soda, potash, or chlorid of sodium. This zinc is shown ashaving the form of a sleeve 2, and it is suspended from the lid or coverby means of screwed rods 3 of copper having terminal nuts. These rodsare carefully coated with india-rubber or a mixture of inda-rubber andparaffin not only along all their length, but also at their point ofattachment to the zinc. For certain purposes the formation of the pieceof zinc as a tube is not advisable and it is preferable to substitutetherefor simple plates or rods of zinc.

Third, a porous vessel. This porous vessel having to be interposedbetween an acid solution and an alkaline solution must therefore have acomposite wall, the porous substance most suitable for acids-that is tosay, glazed earthenwarenot being always the best when exposed toalkaline lyes, which attack it and rapidly destroy it. The wall of theporous vessel is composed from the outside to the inside, first, of acardboard-piece 4, rolled or wrapped with fabric 5 and in contact withthe soda solution, and then a layer of porous earthenware 6 or porouscarbon. This second part of the Vessel is in contact with the acid. Itsfiltering action on this liquid is usefully added to the same action ofthe cardboard on the alkaline lye for regulating and moderating thechemical actions of the battery, which would be far too active if asingle vessel of cardboard and canvas were utilized. The earthenware orcarbon also at the same time imparts rigidity to that part of the vesselwhich otherwise would be liable to become deformed under handling,particularly in the case of large batteries. In case carbon is employedin preference to earthenware it may serve at the same time as oneelectrode. The porous vessel thus formed is also suitable for thecombination of chlorid of sodium and nitric acid. For little batteriesthe porous earthenware vessel must be comparatively very small, and inview of the difficulty of making an earthenware vessel having walls sufficiently thin it may be replaced by a diaphragm of hardened cardboard,ebonite, celluloid, or other suitable material. This diaphragm, which isnot shown in the drawings, is perforated with holes greater or less insize and more or less numerous, according to the intensity which it isdesired to have in the chemical action.

Fourth, a carbon, which is preferably a hollow cylinder 9, as shown inthe drawings, Figs. 1 and 2. This cylinder is prolonged to the outsideof the vessel in the form of a shank 10, on which the terminal is fixedfor taking the positive pole of the current. The cylinder is bored withholes 11 or has four slots 12 at ninety degrees on its lower part, orthe carbon may be a simple plate 20, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with therods 21 for suspending the naphthalene extending horizontally throughthe plate and forming a supportfor the naphthalene.

The naphthalene that is placed above the compartment containing thenitric acid and which has for its object the absorption of the electricor chlorin fumes is sustained by a suitable support placed over thenitric-acid compartment. The form which I preferably employ forconstituting this support is as follows: As may be seen in section inFig. 1 and in plan view in Fig. 2, the carbon cylinder is traversedtoward two-thirds of its height by pins 14, placed sufficiently closelytogether to support the pieces of naphthalene 7, and the number of thepins is in proportion to the size of the battery. A ring 13, of carbonor any other insulating material, (celluloid, hardened cardboard,ivorin, or the like,) is placed on the outside of the carbon cylinder-9,surrounding the said cylinder and resting with its lower part on thepins 14. The external surface of the ring 13 is entirely in contact withthe porous vessel. Its internal surface is in communication with theexternal wall of the cylindrical carbon only by its lower portion. Theupper portion of the ring is constituted by a very thin wall, whichallows, consequently, a space between it and the carbon, and this freespace is also filled with pieces of naphthalene 7. In any case it mustbe understood that instead of causing the pieces of naphthalene to besupported on the pins 14, hereinbefore described, I may simply placethem in a perforated porcelain vessel placed above the nitric acid. Tothe naphthalene there may be added potash and baryta; but this is notnecessary.

The arrangements hereinbefore described have among other advantages thatof rendering these batteries easily transportable, the substancesutilized for absorbing the nitrous vapors preventing the liquid in theinterior of the porous vessel from being spilled. In order to preventthe soda in the external vessel escaping in consequence of shakings orthe in clination of the battery, a thin layer of linseed 8, whichrenders the surface of the 1iquid stationary, is placed on the surface.

Fifth, a lid or cover 16, of hardened cardboard or of iron coated with amixture of gutta-percha and paraffin. Thelid 16 is provided with aflange which fits close to the internal wall of the glass vessel andgives a more perfect tighi'ness,iyl1ich is also increased by theaddition of a ring or flange of indiarubber 17, which engages over theperiphery of the lid and the rim or bead which terminates the upper edgeof the glass vessel.

I declare that what I claim is-- 1. A double fluid battery having activeelements consisting of zinc, and of soda-lye 011 the one hand and nitricacid on the other hand in combination with a porous vessel of cardboardand fabric placed together and having a rigid internal substancepermeable by the acid solution, substantially as described.

2. A double fluid battery having active elernents consisting of zinc,and of soda-lye on the one hand and nitric acid on the other hand, incombination with a porous vessel of cardboard and fabric placed togetherand having a rigid internal substance permeable by the acid solution anda perforated vessel above the nitric acid containing naphthalene forabsorbing the nitrous vapor.

3. A double fluid battery having active elements consisting of zinc, andof soda-lye on the one hand and nitric acid on the other hand incombination with a porous vessel of cardboard and fabric placed togetherand having a rigid internal substance permeable by the acid solution, aperforated receptacle above the nitric acid containing naphthalene forabsorbing the nitrous vapors and a layer of linseed above the soda-lyefor rendering stationary the surface of the soda-lye, substantially asdescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 21st day ofDecember, 1899, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JEAN PIERRE FONTAINE.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTE FOURNOL, VICTOR DE MORENDOWSKY.

